Lever-locking mechanism for switch-stands.



W. F. KNOX.

Patenta nec. la, |960.

LEVER LOCKING MECHANISM FOR SWITCHASTANDS.

(No Model.)

(Application led Apr. 9, 1900.1

ma Noms PETERS co. mar-muc wAsmNsYoN, o. z:4

Inl/animi' jzOf/Z llNTTi-in FTATns lFnTnNT @Tricia WLLIAM F. KNOX, OFLEAVENVORTH, KANSAS.

LEVER-LOCKING MECHANISIVI FOR SWITCH-STANDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,906, dated December18, 1900.

Application filed April 9, 1900- Serial No. 12,064. (No model.)

To 1f/ZZ whom t may con/cern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. KNOX, a citizen of theUnited States, anda resident of Leavenworth, Leavenworth county, Kansas, have invented anew and useful Lever-Locking Mechanism for Switch-Stands, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to switch-stand locks, with particular reference tomechanism for automatically locking the target-rod lever when thrown tothe desired position, my object being to produce a construction wherebysaid lever may be handled with great despatch and convenience and whichis simple, strong, durable, and inexpensive.

With this and other objects in View the invention consists in certainnovel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts,as will be hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that it maybe fully understood I will proceed to describe it with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in whih Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of theiop or table ot' the switch-stand, the standard and targetrod thereofbeing shown in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the top or tableof the stand and the contiguous parts, taken on the line Il Il ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a face view of a part of the lever with its lock. Fig.4 is a similar View with the face-plate of the lock omitted.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 1 designates the base portionof the stand of the usual or any preferred construction and providedwith the laterally-projecting ears 2 at its upper end.

3 is the top or table of the stand, approximately semicircular in form,provided with a central opening 4, to snugly fit on the top or table ofthe stand, and a communicating recess or opening 5. (See Fig. l.) Atopposite sides of opening 4 lugs 6 depend and are bolted, as at 7,rigidly to ears 2 of the stand to bolted reliably, as at 14, to thestand and forming, in conjunction with thelatter,a bearing for thevertical target-rod l5, said rod being provided at its upper end withthe usual or any preferred style of target or signal (not shown) and atits lower end adapted to be connected with the switch (not shown) in theusual or any preferred manner.

15 designates a crank-arm for the targetrod, said arm being keyed orotherwise rigidly secured to the rod at the upper side of the top ortable and provided with the longitudinal notch 17, adapted to registerwith but extend farther inward than either of the notches 8, 9, or 10 ofsaid top or table, and pivoted, as at 1S, in the notch of said crankarmis a lever 19, said lever when occupying a substantially verticalposition (see Figs. 1 and 2) engaging the registering notch S, 9, or 10,as the case may be, to prevent the movement ot' the target-rod, audconsequently of the target and switch, as will be readily understood.When the lever is thrown to a horizontal position, as shown in dottedlines, Fig. 2, it forms practically an elongation of arm 16 and permitsthe switch and target to be thrown as desired.

All of the parts thus far described, with the exception of thebolt-sockets 11, are common in switch-stands as now constructed, and tosaid lold parts alone or in combination I make no claim.

20 designates a spring adapted to be interposed between the inner endsof the notches and the lever, and for reducing the number of parts andfor economic reasons one spring only is employed and is secured to therear orunder side of thelever, preferably as shown at 21. The functionof this spring will hereinafter appear.

Formed in the face or upper side of the lever are the communicatingrecesses 22 and 23, the latter having a centrally-disposed keyguide 24and the former a bolt 25, adapted to be advanced and projected beyondthe side of the lever by the spring 26, bearing against the closed endof recess 22 and against the bolt, being retained reliably in positionby fitting for the greater part of its length in the longitudinal hole27 of the bolt, and to prevent the spring from throwing the bolt clearout of the lever the latter is provided IOO with a shoulder 28 to limitits advance movement and with a notch 29 to receive the bit of the key.(Not shown.) The bolt is retained in position by a face-plate 30,riveted or screwed to the face of the lever, said faceplate beingprovided with a keyhole 31, by preference of the type to receive thekeyl most common in use on switch-stands of this type, keyhole-guard 32being connected to the faceplate, so as to normally close said keyholeand prevent the entrance therein of snow, which would interfere with themanipulation of the lock.

Assuming that the target stands inoperative or parallel with the trackand is locked in such position,it will be understood that the leveroccupies the position shown in full lines, Figs. l and 2, with the bolt25 engaging socket Il and the spring 2O compressedv between the leverand the rear wall of notch S. To raise said lever to the position shownin dotted lines, Fig. 2, preliminary to the operation of the target-rod,it is necessary to insert the key in the keyhole and turn it until itsbit enters notch 29 of the bolt and turns the latter against theresistance of spring 26 until it is totally withdrawn from socket l1. Asthis takes place the spring automatically throws the leverto theposition shown in dotted lines c, Fig. 2, from which position lit israised by hand. This spring is particularly useful on yard switchstands,where it is frequently desirable to leave they lever unlocked, but atthe same time occupying the notch 8, 9, or 10, as the case may be, so asto prevent the switch from accidental operation, as frequently happensas soon as the lever is totally withdrawn from the notch of the top ortable. It sometimes occurs also that it is desirable after setting theswitch to secure it reliably without locking it. In this case, assumingthat the switch 4has been set, the operator may permit it to swing downinto the notch below, the spring by reason of its position preventing itfrom swinging sufficiently far into the notch for the bolt to entersocket l1. Furthermore,

the operator byinserting the key in the lock may unlock the leverwithout handling it and pass on ward with the assurance that the switchwill be reliably maintained and that he or another operator mayafterward operate the switch without going through the preliminaryoperation of unlocking it, as the spring, as

hereinbefore stated, throws it to the position shown in dotted lines cafter the key is'turned.

At the present time padlocks are most commonly used for securing thelever in its vertical position, but these are objectionable for thereason that the piece projecting from the top or table to which they areusually'secured frequently breaks and leaves the switch free to beoperated by any mischievously or criminally inclined person.

While I have designated the parts common to switch-'stands at present inuse, I prefer# ably substitute a new top or table anda new switch armand lever with notches 8, 9, 10, and 17, said lever being of greaterwidth'in order to provide sufficient room for a strong switch-lock.

From the above description .it will be apparent that I have produced aswitch-stand lever-locking mechanism which ein bodies the features ofadvantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of invention, andwhile l have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is to be understood that changes may be made in the form,proportion, detail Construction, and arrangement of the parts withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is*- A switch-stand, having a top or tableprovided with notches and with bolt-sockets opening intr-o said notches,a target-rod jonrnaled in said top or table, an arm mounted on said rodand provided with a notch to register with the notches of the top ortable, a lever pivoted in the notch of said arin and adapted to extendthrough one or another ofthe notches of the top or table, a bolt carriedby the lever t0 engage the corresponding bolt-socket, and a leaf-,spring2 0 arranged at the rear side of the lever near its pivotal point, andascrew 2l for securing Said spring at one end to the lever, all arrangedsubstantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM r. KNOX.

, ,Witnesses:

JAMES MILETT, HARRY ABBOTT.

IOO

